Nicole Foy: Trippin’ off and on Caffeine

I spent a week crisscrossing this nation’s heartland recently to visit family in far-flung rural places. I wasn’t anxious in the least about the long driving trip — until it hit me. What’s missing from the quaint, rolling farm fields of Kansas and Iowa?

In shame, I answer: Starbucks. Oh, yes, the mighty corporation may have wrapped her goddess arms around the globe, but she still hasn’t stolen the palates of many Midwesterners who have better things to do than spend $3 for a milky coffee drink. Us city folk are another story.

So I figured the trip would be a good opportunity to test my body’s withdrawal responses. Caffeine is a drug, we all know. Well, the headaches were excruciating and only diminished once we were firmly back on urban ground, comfortably surrounded by beautiful cement shopping centers and parking lots dotted with green — the green signs of Starbucks, that is.

My little addiction tale really is only a set-up, though. I was reminded about my recent handful of days in the desert when a friend passed along a site with the subtitle: “Monitoring America’s favorite drug dealer.” Guess who is doin’ the dealin’? Starbucks. Whether you’re a practicing barista stalker or a recovering ‘Bucksaholic, check out the site.

Also: if you’re wondering about how much caffeine is actually in your fav coffee or energy drink, here’s another one for you.. The blog dedicated to caffeinated drinks has a cool chart dominated by soda and Starbucks. And if you’re curious about how much caffeine it would take to kill you, it has a “Death by Caffeine Calculator.”

As for me, I don’t want to flirt with death — be it through sudden withdrawal or overdose — so I’ll adhere to an occasional latte diet while sticking close to my Starbucks-surrounded home this summer.